Flashcards: Colonial Foundations and Expansion — 18 cards

Native American societies — diversity?

Highly diverse in culture, language, politics, and economy.

Columbian Exchange — transfer?

Plants, animals, diseases, and culture between Old and New Worlds.

Hunter-gatherers — reliance?

Hunted wild animals and gathered plants for sustenance.

Maize — significance?

Staple crop foundational to many Native societies.

Theocratic societies — role?

Religious leaders central to governance.

Nomadic tribes — movement?

Moved seasonally to follow resources.

Language families — presence?

About twenty language families with nearly 2000 languages.

European contact — impact?

Introduced diseases, causing massive population declines.

Mercantilism — goal?

Increase national wealth via colonies for raw materials and markets.

Joint-stock companies — function?

Shared risks and profits to finance colonization.

Royal Charters — purpose?

Official grants from monarchs authorizing colonies.

Jamestown — founding year?

1607, first successful English colony.

Mayflower Compact — significance?

Early self-governance agreement in Plymouth.

Navigation Acts — effect?

Regulated trade, often led to smuggling.

Salutary Neglect — policy?

Reduced enforcement of trade laws, fostering autonomy.

Virginia — colony type?

Royal colony under direct Crown control.

Massachusetts Bay — governance?

Self-governing with representative assemblies.

Colonial economy — regional?

New England: trade; South: plantations; Middle: grains.